1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display device, and more particularly, to a plasma display device that may efficiently radiate heat generated from an integrated circuit chip and that may prevent the integrated circuit chip from breaking when manufacturing the plasma display device.
2. Discussion of the Background
Generally, plasma display panels (PDP) display images by exciting a fluorescent material using ultra violet rays generated from a gas discharge. Since they may be thin and have a large screen, they are considered as a next generation display to replace the cathode ray tube.
Conventional PDPs may be alternating current (AC) PDPs, direct current (DC) PDPs, or a hybrid according to their structure and principle of operation. Particularly, AC PDPs and DC PDPs can be divided into facing discharge PDPs and surface discharge PDPs according to the discharging structure. Recently, surface discharge AC PDPs are being widely used.
Since the plasma display device displays images by generating discharges in the PDP corresponding to externally applied image signals, potentials corresponding to the image signals are applied to a discharge electrode included in the PDP. For this purpose, the plasma display device includes an integrated circuit chip, which is operated at a high voltage. Hence, the integrated circuit chip is relatively expensive.
The integrated circuit chip generates a lot of heat since it processes high-voltage signals at a high speed. Heat generated by the integrated circuit chip is particularly a serious problem in a high resolution PDP. Accordingly, heat radiation in a high resolution PDP is an important consideration when developing the high resolution PDP.
Typically, in order to radiate heat generated from an integrated circuit chip, a cover plate formed of a material having thermal conductivity is installed contacting the integrated circuit chip, or a heat radiation sheet is installed contacting the integrated circuit chip by interposing the heat radiation sheet between the cover plate and the integrated circuit chip. The heat radiation surface may be increased by coating a thermally conductive grease on a surface of the integrated circuit chip.
However, excessive force may be applied to a portion of a surface of the integrated circuit chip when installing the heat radiation sheet or the cover plate. Therefore, if excessive force is applied to the integrated circuit chip, it is very likely that the expensive integrated circuit chip will break.
Also, the heat radiation efficiency may be reduced if the thermally conductive grease, which is coated on a surface of the integrated circuit chip, does not strongly adhere to the surface of the integrated circuit chip. The reduction of heat radiation efficiency can cause the integrated circuit chip to malfunction, thereby distorting the PDP's images or degrading the quality of the PDP by reducing the lifespan of the integrated circuit chip.